Chronology by Region ASIA AND T H E PAC I F I C E UROP E 1225 T HE A M E R IC AS ca 2205 B.C.E.: The Chinese become the first civilization to mill grain; sheep, oxen, dogs, pigs, and goats first domesticated in China ca 2000 B.C.E.: Horses are first tamed by nomads on the Asian steppes ca 2000 B.C.E.: Seafarers from Crete and Phoenicia adopt sails and masts on ships ca 1750 B.C.E.: In India two major historic cities, Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, collapse ca 1600 B.C.E.: Arrival of the Greeks in the Aegean region ca 1500 B.C.E.: Aryan nomads arrive in India from the steppes of Eurasia, bringing with them cattle and sheep; Chinese begin to use vehicles drawn by horses ca 1400 B.C.E.: China domesticates first poultry, the jungle fowl from Malaya ca 1500–ca 1000 B.C.E.: Emergence of Celtic cultures in central Europe and the Balkans ca 1470 B.C.E.: Minoan civilization in the Mediterranean Sea destroyed by volcanic eruption ca 2000 B.C.E.: Arctic ancestors of the Inuit begin to use small tools, especially the harpoon ca 1800 B.C.E.: People in Peru first make pottery ca 1600–ca 1300 B.C.E.: Mounds constructed by peoples along the Mississippi River; best-known mound is Poverty Point ca 1500–ca 400 B.C.E.: Olmec civilization arises and flourishes in Mesoamerica ca 1300 B.C.E.: Date assigned to the first evidence of Chinese writing ca 1200–ca 800 B.C.E.: Hallstatt A and B cultures, of the Bronze Age, flourish in the region around present-day Austria ca 1100 B.C.E.: The Chinese invent the crossbow and the kite and begin using ice for refrigeration ca 1100 B.C.E.: Collapse of Mycenaean civilization; Iron Age begins in Europe, marked by the use of iron tools ca 1045 B.C.E.: Zhou Dynasty founded in China; the dynasty will last until approximately 256 B.C.E ca 1100–ca 750 B.C.E.: Greek Dark Ages ca 1000 B.C.E.: Polynesian expansion across the Pacific Ocean reaches Samoa and Tonga ca Eighth–seventh centuries B.C.E.: Homer writes/compiles Greek epics The Iliad and The Odyssey ca 1000 B.C.E.: Archaic Age ends in North America; cultivation of corn is introduced to North America from Mexico ca 876 B.C.E.: The concept of zero first introduced in India ca 800–ca 500 B.C.E.: Halstatt C and D cultures, of the Iron Age, arise in the region around present-day Austria ca 900–ca 200 B.C.E.: The Chavín culture thrives in Peru ca 700 B.C.E.: China introduces the concept of crop rotation ca sixth century B.C.E.: Confucianism developed in China by philosopher Confucius (Kong Fuzi) ca 776 B.C.E.: First ancient Olympic Games held in Greece ca 600 B.C.E.: The Upanishads, texts of Hinduism, are compiled in India ca 753 B.C.E.: Traditional date of the founding of Rome, although archaeologists have found graves in Rome dating to at least a century earlier ca 565 B.C.E.: The Chinese philosopher Laozi founds the religious philosophy of Daoism ca 650–ca 500 B.C.E.: Etruscan dominance of Rome, ending with Roman rebellion against Etruscans ca 528 B.C.E.: The religion of Buddhism wins its first adherents in India ca 600 B.C.E.: Capitoline temple built in Rome ca 525 B.C.E.: The Greek philosopher Pythagoras declares that the earth is round ca 509 B.C.E.–ca first century B.C.E.: Roman Republic ca 508 B.C.E.: Beginning of democracy in Greece ca 1200 B.C.E.: The ancient ball game, the oldest-known game in the Americas, originates with the Olmec civilization ca 800 B.C.E.: Pottery making emerges in Alaska; the temple center of Chavín de Huántar is established in Peru ca 650 B.C.E.: The Maya begin using smoke to cure diseases